In Mideast, Rice stresses civilian relief

As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made her first foray in the Middle East since fighting began between Israel and Hizbullah, her focus was on efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, where a half-million-plus people have been displaced.

Ms. Rice had lowered expectations for a cease-fire before her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, disappointing many in the region who had hoped for a stronger bid to stem the conflict.

A meeting in Rome Thursday of American, European, and Arab officials will address both the prospects for a cease-fire as well as a peacekeeping force. In the interim, improving conditions for those without electricity, water, and food was a "major" issue in talks between Rice and Mr. Olmert, which lasted about two hours Tuesday morning.

Following the meeting, Olmert said in a statement that Israel would open air and land routes into Lebanon to allow aid to enter the country.

Lebanon-bound airplanes carrying humanitarian assistance will be allowed to land at Beirut Airport after prior coordination with Israel. The airport was shut down two weeks ago after Israeli jets bombed the runway repeatedly.

Israel also agreed to establish a land route that would run over the border into Lebanon.

"The prime minister said he was very sensitive to the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, and therefore he decided to expand the humanitarian corridors in order to assist the Lebanese population," read a statement issued by the prime minister.

Tuesday, the US pledged $30 million to pay for sheets, blankets, and plastic sheet rolls. Speaking to reporters at a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the secretary of State said she hoped that her efforts could leave civilians in a better situation.

The UN refugee agency said Tuesday that it was awaiting a direct confirmation from Israel that it would be guaranteed safe passage to bring relief supplies from Syria into Lebanon.

A team of Israeli military officials will meet with international military experts to outline the routes, Olmert told Rice in Jerusalem.

But a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva (UNHCR) said the agency had yet to receive formal notification from Israel. "We have no word of a safe corridor in Lebanon," she told The Associated Press.

She said the UN agency wanted a direct guarantee from Israel that its supply convoys would be able to pass through the Syria-Lebanon border zone safely. Otherwise, she said, "it's not very practical for our immediate needs to get the goods we have in Syria into Lebanon."

Until such a guarantee is issued by Israel, the UNHCR said that some of the stockpiled aid would be distributed to centers housing Lebanese refugees in Damascus, Syria.

Even though the road to a cease-fire remains obscure amid Israel's bombardment of Lebanon, it appears that Rice believes the US can help parlay the crisis into a regional makeover that will boost democratic regimes and isolate terrorists.

Page: 1 | 2